Each candle opens within the prior candle’s body and closes progressively lower. Sustained, organised selling pressure across three sessions.
What are Three Black Crows?
Three Black Crows is the bearish mirror of Three White Soldiers. It consists of three consecutive large red candles, each opening within the previous candle’s body and closing progressively lower, with small or no lower wicks. The lack of lower wicks confirms that sellers are maintaining control right through to the close — buyers can’t mount a meaningful bounce.
The ominous name reflects the pattern’s reputation — three crows perched in a line, each one a step down from the last, signalling bad news ahead for bulls.
What Does It Tell You?
Three Black Crows tells you that selling is not a knee-jerk reaction — it’s organised, sustained, and building in momentum over three separate sessions. Every rally attempt from buyers is being snuffed out. By the third candle, bulls who held through the decline are sitting on significant losses and may be forced to exit, adding further selling pressure.
Most impactful when it appears after a prolonged uptrend or at a known resistance area where sellers have been waiting to unload at elevated prices.
What Makes a Strong Version
- ✓ Each candle has a large body — larger is more bearish and more reliable.
- ✓ Small or no lower wicks — buyers failing to bounce the market at any point.
- ✓ Each candle opens within the prior candle’s body (not gapping down aggressively).
- ✓ Volume increases across the three candles — growing participation from sellers.
Warning Signs
- ✗ If the candles get progressively smaller, selling momentum may be fading.
- ✗ Long lower wicks suggest buyers are starting to push back.
- ✗ After a very large Three Black Crows move, the market may be oversold — don’t chase the short; wait for a bounce and re-entry.
Tip: Three Black Crows at the top of an uptrend, especially after a period of strong gains, is a high-conviction signal for a swing short. At a key resistance level, it often marks a significant turning point in price.